


No One Puts a Scientia in a Corner

by Lady_Kaie



Series: Igtober 2020 [24]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Competition, F/M, Family Fluff, Friendship, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mild Language, Multi, Older Chocobros (Final Fantasy XV), Other, Talent Shows, Team as Family, don't mess with a Scientia, having a hard time tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:15:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27178426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Kaie/pseuds/Lady_Kaie
Summary: Talent show...Everyone knows the Scientia's have style, but some have to learn it the hard way.
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Reader, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Igtober 2020 [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948411
Kudos: 6





	No One Puts a Scientia in a Corner

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 24: Fashion : Igtober 2020
> 
> \- This is probably a loose interpretation of Fashion but hey... I wanted to keep some of my ideas out of the box a little bit.

*****

The backstage area of the Citadel’s largest venue hall was in near chaos with the contestants of the talent show running about in preparation for their numbers. This year’s show was centered on musical talents of various varieties and most of the dance children had signed up to participate much to their teacher’s approval.

Two little girls were here for other reasons than to just entertain the crowd that had gathered. This was war.

Flamma stared daggers across the dressing area that she had been designated to with her father and three other little girls and their fathers. Two of the little girls were hardly phased by the animosity shooting out of jade green orbs set in the face of an angel, where as one little girl, an azure eyed, silken auburn haired darling merely smirked as though she had already won.

Ducissa Caligo.

If there was ever a perfect child, it was Ducissa. From a prominent family that hailed originally from Altissa, she was prim and proper in the best of ways. Clean cut, perfectly groomed and always gorgeously dressed, she was the envy of all the little girls whose parents worked for the community and didn’t have the luxury of old money or centuries of heritage that had been hidden away during the dark years. In fact Ducissa’s entire family had been saved from the horrors in part due to their knowledge that it was coming and their ability to fund safe houses.

Flamma Scientia, daughter of Duke Scientia and Duchess Scientia had her own position in the world and with her peers, but somehow Ducissa made her feel like she was no better than the gum on the bottom of her shoes. Flamma was trimly built like her father, and for her ten years of age, she was rather muscled due to her training with Uncle Gladio and Uncle Ravus. 

Ducissa was, of course, softness all over, and looked to be made of pale porcelain velvet instead of boring old skin! Flamma hated her! Hated the way she batted her long dark lashes and smirked her little pink lips like she was the best thing walking the earth! She was the perfect little cookie cutter cut out of what little girls should resemble. Not only was she perfect all over from her halo of curls to her little round toes, her parents were a Count and Countess, a title that had been passed down over six centuries…

Flamma knew better than to argue that her father was a Duke and therefore outranked the other girl’s, because the last time she did that things hadn’t ended well. Flamma had been suspended from dance class for punching Ducissa in her perfect little nose. But that’s what happened when someone said something about her father. Especially that his title was out of pity for his sacrifice to the King. 

“Are you ready, Flamma?” Her father’s voice broke the little one out of her haze and when she glanced up she smiled. Her dad looked awesome! 

Ducissa was in a full ball gown with jewels and a myriad of fabrics creating the illusion of riches while her father was cloaked in a perfectly fitted white suit trimmed in gold and decorated with fantastic baubles that presented a perfect image of prestige. From the hair to the makeup and especially the accessories, these two looked like they had stepped from an old painting of a beloved Princess and her King.

“Yes, father.” The young girl responded, turning away just as Ducissa stuck her tongue out from behind her painted pink lips to rile her arch nemesis. Flamma refused to give her the satisfaction! “Let’s go!” Stomping past the snickering girl and her father who had begun to guffaw at whatever buffoonery his little angel had just muttered out of the side of her stupid, girly girl head!

Ok Flamma…. Get it together. We’ve been practicing all week. We can surely win a prize.

There were multiple prizes, but the one she was aiming for was best in fashion or best overall show. That was the best one that could be given. It was a culmination of each and every aspect of the act! If she won best in show she would be the star of the dance class and get to rub it in Ducissa’s snotty little face that her father wasn’t some cripple…

Ah yes…. Ducissa was getting punched come Monday for muttering that behind the teacher’s back. Flamma didn’t lash out that day because she didn’t want to be kicked out of the talent show. Come Monday, all bets were off. As her Uncle Gladio said, sometimes bitches needed to get hit.

Well he said assholes, because he didn’t hit women. Obviously.

Standing beside her father and now mother who had leaned over to give first her daughter a kiss for good luck and then another to her father that was much more involved… gross! Once both were checked over for final touches on their costumes, which Flamma still wasn’t sure about, the mother went to her side of the stage where she would be singing their song with the band. Of course Ducissa had bragged that her mother had been trained by a famous musician on how to classically sing…

“It’s time angel.” Ignis whispered just as the lights dimmed to signal that it really was their turn. As the curtains went up, Flamma exhaled a deep breath and watched her father move onto the stage like he owned it.

Show time!

*******

(Song - Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris)

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm

Ignis: struts onto the stage with his perfectly defined lip, painted in nude gloss for the stage, curled saucily to catch the eyes of all the pining women already clapping for him. The man did not walk, no, he glided across that stage combing his hair into place with short little twists of his hip and quick footwork to make it to the spot marked for him to wait. Dressed in perfectly cuffed light wash jeans that are basically a second skin, a tight white t-shirt and leather jacket with Scientia stitched across the back, he looks like he’s walked right out of Grease… but better. Ignis made every style, every look that he put on his body, his own. He was the master of his domain and it extended to all that he touched.

The women in the crowd went absolutely wild when he popped to the side, one leg twisting at the knee to the music while he braced forward on his other leg. A snap of his fingers and sharp point to the area that he came from as the second round picked up… And out walked Flamma.

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm  
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mm

Just like her father taught her, Flamma, hands perched on her hips with a jerk of her chin toward the crowd, she stalked out on the stage. Swishing her feet in rapid succession and then jumping into a quick skip, her fingertips gripped the jagged black tulle skirt and gave it a sassy ruffle as she set into a slight run and slid the rest of her distance into her own spot. In her hair she has a skull headband, a white v-neck t-shirt and the same leather jacket as her father. They are both wearing biker boots that should hinder both of their movements but clearly the thick tread will not stop a Scientia from dancing.

As Flamma’s mother began to sing the words to the upbeat song with her smooth sultry alto, her father held his hand out and the dance was on. Flamma put her smaller hand in his and fell in step to his movements, letting the music come to life inside of her. Nothing else mattered but the sway of the music and the fast motion of her father guiding her about the floor.

He was a mere prop, lifting her, bending so that she can roll over his back and even sliding up behind her, following each step of her quick feet popping from side to side as her arms rope the wind and fall effortlessly into position to be twirled around the stage by the focal point of her father’s elegant hand.

They are two beings moving as a unit. Not one step is out of place, and not once do they lose their groove. It is as the final mmmm’s play that the two begin to slow, Ignis backflipping into a split followed by his daughter doing the same just as her mother’s voice falls away and the music dies.

The eruption of the crowd takes up all of that space that the little one had been using to fuel her hatred for her enemy because right in that moment, she had won.

*******

“That’s my niece!” Gladiolus cheered as he pounded backstage, stooping to hoist Flamma up above his head as she jumped toward him.

“That was awesome!” Prompto seconded, giving Ignis a high five and turning toward the Advisor’s wife who had a hell of a set of pipes. “And damn ______! Your singing was awesome. You guys totally deserved your win! It was a total family package.”

“Here here!” Noctis chimed in while he sidled up beside his husband and draped an arm about the man’s waist. His bright baby blues were twinkling with the thrill of competition, flicking over to the area of the stage where the second place winners were standing. “Someone isn’t thrilled.”

“Who the fuck…”

“Gladio.” Ignis bit out, raising a brow for the profanity around his daughter. And the other children of course.

Flamma kept her mouth shut because this was not the worst she had heard out of her uncle Gladio. She had been around him when he played video games with her Uncle Ravus after all. 

“Frick!” Gladio substituted with a growly tone, rolling his eyes. “Cares! Maybe someone should be running his mouth all the time.” He absolutely couldn’t stand Ulysses Caligo. The man was a stuffy, upper crust, prude who thought his shit didn’t stink. That and his wife was the town gossip and kept rumors going about every solid couple he knew. That whole family was a problem. But Noctis had needed their resources in getting Insomnia up and going and now they were part of the foundation of the growing city.

Ignis wrapped his arms around his wife who had finished changing from her dress as he passed off the massive trophy to his daughter and Gladio. “That was beautiful my love.” He had always enjoyed her singing, especially when the children were young because she was always singing. Now that they were older, the sound of lullabies and sweet little childrens songs were a rarity, but every now and then they would turn on the radio and dance together when the kids were in bed. And she would sing to him. Low and full of warmth, right against his neck while he wrapped himself around her soft body.

The others chattered on about the success of the Scientia’s when a throat being cleared sounded off behind Ignis. Turning, the Advisor mustered up a decent smile and not the proud smirk he wanted to show off, and calmly said, “Ulysses.” In greeting.

Ulysses Caligo… had come in second. With everyone else and what was more, they hadn’t even won best in fashion. They had won best effort…

Flamma pushed her way up in front of her parents to the same location that Ducissa was standing and smirked. “Congrats on best effort.”

“I believe you mean congratulations.”

“No. I said what I meant.” Flamma corrected the glittery princess standing in front of her. Best effort! What a joke! That was like a participation prize. 

Ignis cleared his throat to break up the atomic glares both girls were giving one another and regained the group’s attention, including Ulysses who had come to make nice. Not really. “Indeed. As my daughter said, Congratulations Ulysses. I’m sure your performance was worthy of such a win.”

“Oooohhh Ignis 1 Ulysses 0.” Prompto muttered through a snicker. 

Ignis tried not to grin at the commentary and held his wife closer as the other Caligo walked in to join her own family. She certainly wouldn’t make catty remarks tonight, but it wouldn’t stop her tomorrow.

Ulysses’ features were twisted in distaste as he addressed Ignis. “Well I must say that I was rather surprised you won considering your costuming and the singer was average…”

“Yes well. Not everyone enjoys listening to the stylings of someone who sounds like a coeurl in heat..” Ignis bit out politely, holding tight to his mask of civility but refusing to sit back and take an insult to his wife.

Flamma on the other hand was ready to punch Ducissa’s father now. Two Caligo’s were in need of a… what did Uncle Gladio say? Ass whooping?

“Well I never…” Madame Caligo screeched in mock surprise, her hand clutching at her pearl necklace as she looked ready to faint.

Everyone in the area rolled their eyes, and some who would not be named *Gladio* had plenty of choice words to mutter under their breath. The only one who spoke up was Flamma’s mother, not at all in a mood to deal with this pettiness. “I’m sure not.” _________ cut in before the other matriarch could complain further. With a slight toss of her head to signal she was ready to go, she straightened up and gathered her daughter’s hand in her own. “Everyone did a nice job this evening and the children were pleased. That is the real point of the show.”

“Indeed.” Ignis concurred though he had yet to turn from Ulysses. It wasn’t until his wife was a good deal away and it was the two men in the back of the stage, alone, that Ignis leaned in and grinned rather wickedly, though his voice remained passive, “Just so you are aware Ulysses, Fashion has much more to do with the clothes. It’s how you wear them. Not how they wear you.” And with that, Ignis turned to go, but not before adding. “Also, you should tell your daughter and your wife to keep my family’s names out of their mouths. Either that or teach Ducissa to throw a punch. She’s going to have a hard adolescence growing up with that attitude and a lack of skills to back it up.”

Nothing more was said on the matter because Ulysses wasn’t given the chance to before Ignis disappeared from the back of the stage and returned to his family. The rest of the weekend was a celebration and when that fateful Monday rolled around Flamma got in trouble just as she had been suspecting for punching Ducissa in the nose at the start of class.

Ignis came to pick her up from dance without saying a word, and even when they returned home, Flamma held her tongue and marched up straight to her room already aware that she was being sent to bed early. Yet, somehow, she had a feeling neither of her parents were too upset. What Ignis wouldn’t tell her until she was older was that he had never been so proud of her for standing up for her family.

A “cripple” he may be. But he always looked damn good doing it. Ulysses and Ducissa found that out the hard way as they lost the next three talent shows and the best overall title to the Scientia’s.

They were a family of talent…

And they knew how to wear a look.


End file.
